June 2021 - Page 2 of 7

Strive Masiyiwa Blows Top Over Vaccine Apartheid…As Africa Battles Third Wave Without Vaccines

June 24, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWEAN business mogul and African Union special envoy, Dr Strive Masiyiwa has taken a swipe at the COVAX facility’s for sidelining Africa and failing to deliver the 700 million vaccine doses to the continent as was initially agreed early this year. By Michael Gwarisa COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization (WHO). However, according to Dr Masiyiwa, the facility has not been…

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Zimbabwe Vaccine Uptake Jump Fourfold In 24 Hours

June 24, 2021June 24, 2021 Healthtimes

LOCAL vaccination numbers for the first dose quadrupled over the past 24 hours as government scales up vaccination in COVID-19 hot-spots. By Staff Reporter According to vaccination data from Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the number of people who received the first dose rose from 2 157 on June 22, 2021 to 8 898 on June 23, 2021. 8 898 received their 1st dose today bringing cumulative for 1st dose to 715 056 while 11 573 received their 2nd dose bringing cumulative for 2nd dose to 451 793.”…

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Government Vaccination Program Targets COVID-19 Hotspots

June 23, 2021 Healthtimes

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa has announced that 500 000 Sinopharm vaccination doses that has been procured from China will be expected in the country by the end of this month end and the next priority of vaccination program will be at the country’s hotspots. By Staff Reporter Briefing Journalists, minister Mutsvangwa said government was also in the process of procuring two million more doses of vaccines from China. On procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, Cabinet is pleased to report that arrangements are currently in progress to…

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Sexual Exploitation Exposes Zim’s Young Sex Workers Living With HIV To HIV Reinfection

June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 Patricia Mashiri

SEX work has been on the increase in Zimbabwe, and for close to two decades due to a myriad of factors, chief among them being economic induced hardships, lack of employment opportunities and growing poverty levels, sex work has becoming the low hanging option for women and girls. Unlike in the old days when sex work used to be a preserve for adult women of consenting age, a growing number of adolescent girls in Peri-urban and farming communities in Zimbabwe are taking up sex work to survive. By Patricia Mashiri…

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Open Up Space For Adolescents To Access SRHR Services

June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 Healthtimes

RECENTLY, I was saddened to read that a dead infant was found during a burst sewer pipe at a primary school in Bulawayo. I imagined the state of hopelessness the parent must have felt to resort to infanticide. And I felt angry about the lack of prioritization of women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), especially during this time of COVID-19 lockdowns, that may have contributed to this horrific outcome. By Edinah Masiyiwa The insufficient attention to women’s and girls’ needs and disruptions in health systems during…

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Breaking: Schools Reopening Extended By Two Weeks

June 22, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa’ has announced that cabinet has agreed to postpone Schools Reopening in the midst of surging Covid cases. By Michael Gwarisa She briefed Journalists this evening during a post cabinet media briefing where she highlighted that schools opening will be delayed by a further two weeks. In view of the regional and local upsurge of cases, the nation is informed that Cabinet approved that the reopening of schools and other learning institutions be delayed by 14 days. Government will be monitoring the situation…

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Zim To Introduce HIV Prevention Drug Thats Taken Once Every Month

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 Patricia Mashiri

Dr Nyaradzo Mgodi MBChB, MMed, Investigator of Record, HPTN-084 Zimbabwe – University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Research Centre, and HPTN Executive Committee Member

ZIMBABWE is among the first countries set to introduce a new HIV preventative drug that will be taken once a month in a move that is likely to expand HIV prevention options for citizens. By Patricia Mashiri The new drug, Islatravir (MK-8591) belongs to a class of drugs called First-in-Class Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Translocation Inhibitor (NRTTI) With Multiple Mechanisms of Action. These multiple mechanisms of action contribute to its high potency against HIV-1 and drug-resistant variants, and its high barrier to resistance. Dr Nyaradzo Mgodi, Principal Investigator, University of Zimbabwe’s…

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Zimbabwe COVID-19 Situation About To Get Out Of Hand- Expert

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

LOCAL epidemiologist and public health expert, Dr Grant Murewanhema has warned that Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 situation could blow out of proportion in the coming days and urged citizens to religiously adhere to World Health Organization (WHO) set COVID-19 prevention measures. Staff Reporter His warning comes at the back of an increasing daily infection rate as well as fatality rate which has tripled over the past few days. We are going to a place where we don’t want to be but where I have been warning that we might end up going.…

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WHO Helps South Africa Set First COVID mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 Healthtimes

THE World Health Organization (WHO) and its COVAX partners are working with a South African consortium comprising Biovac, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, a network of universities and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish its first COVID mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub. By Staff Reporter The move follows WHO’s global call for Expression of Interest (EOI) on 16 April 2021 to establish COVID mRNA vaccine technology transfer hubs to scale up production and access to COVID vaccines. Over the coming weeks, the partners will negotiate details…

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Zim Headmasters Want Schools Reopened After Winter To Curb Spread Of COVID-19 In Schools

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 Patricia Mashiri

THE Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads (ZINUSH) has called on government to consider closing schools until winter passes in bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 in learning institutions. By Patricia Mashiri ZINUSH president, Mr John Muzamani said in a statement that it was in the interest of children and teachers’ safety not to open schools early. With regards to schools reopening, we suggest that all schools remain closed throughout the winter season and consider reopening when it is warmer and relatively safer. That should be around mid- August.…

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